American Beauty [2000]

His daughter Jane is a brooding raven-haired beauty who likes to put on a white-powdered face and red Betty Boop lips to go with her full figure. Thora Birch, who plays Jane, has a face that can mesmerize, and Director Sam Mendes puts her to work mesmerizing us.

Annette Bening, in a comedic tour de force, plays Lester’s wife Carolyn, a straitlaced, uptight, worry wart who sells real estate. Next door we have, just moving in, 18-year-old Ricky Fitts, played with sly self-assurance by Wes Bentley, the dope-dealing, Bible-suit wearing, photog son of Marine Corps Colonel Frank Fitts and his mostly catatonic wife. Two houses down there’s Jim and Jim, your smiling yuppie fruit loops and all-around neighborhood sweet guys. They are however an embarrassment to Colonel Fitts who is living in the deep, dark corner of a very large denial closet, paranoid to the teeth that his only son has inherited the same shameful desires and will act them out. In an effort to keep Ricky disciplined and on the straight and narrow, the good Colonel practices various forms of child abuse ranging from bare-knuckle beatings to medicated imprisonment.

In other words what we have here is your typical American suburban street. What makes American Beauty a great success is a witty script with a deep and beautiful lesson for our age by Alan Ball, superb direction by Sam Mendes and outstanding performances from just about everybody in the cast. Bening is brilliant with her silly finger gestures and her one foot sideways stance, like a fawn just learning to walk, and her squinty little eyes full of merriment, and that raised and then downward pointing index finger of indignant reproof. (But she really needs to keep her pretty shins off the bedposts or at least off the wall.) Mena Suvari is perhaps no more beautiful than any number of other screen darlings, but she has a litany of sexy expressions and poses that inspire delight. Her portrayal of a fast lane teen siren whose talk is bigger than her experience is just perfect. She might be a budding star.

But more than anything this is an uplifting and satisfying tale of an unappreciated, unloved and mostly ignored man who is inspired to transform his life by the beauty of a girl. For many people (and for most women, I would wager) falling in love at first sight with a teenaged girl just because she is beautiful is shallow and beside the point, inappropriate and not fair. But women love men for their power and their strength and their standing in society. Is that fair to those men who have none? Lester’s love for Angela was so great that it transcended carnality, but he didn’t know that until he began to take off her clothes and then he realized something very beautiful. He could love her without making love to her. If he took advantage of her youth and inexperience, it would cheapen his love for her and possibly destroy it. Maybe some people in the audience felt he wasn’t a real man because he stopped, but I tend to feel the opposite. Not that I think there is anything wrong with making love to 18-year-old girls (on the contrary); but if the girl is incapable of experiencing that love, then perhaps it is better to love her from afar without a sexual expression, even at the risk of disappointing her, especially if you’re old enough to be her father, and especially if you really do love her. Notice that in the next scene she is bored and for her the magic of sexuality is gone. He might as well be her father.

So much of what we are presented through the media is a focus on those males who would only be able to express themselves in some sexually-exploitive manner. So much of what we read insists that this is the only way men are. I’m happy to say that American Beauty presents another point of view, and presents it beautifully.

The point made by the surprising ending (and the reason for the presence of the Marine colonel and the two gay guys) is that our contemporary “enlightened” society may recognize the legitimacy of homosexual love, but continues to hypocritically condemn the love of a man for a young girl.


A beautifully crafted masterpiece   December 13, 2001
19 out of 20 found this review helpful

If you are the type of person who appreciates every minute of your life, then you may just enjoy this film to its fullest potential. If you are the type of person who doesn't appreciate every minute of your life or the people around you, then you may just need to see this film, and learn to appreciate its full potential.

American Beauty is the amazing directorial debut of theater man Sam Mendes. Penned by TV writer Alan Ball, the script may feel like a sitcomish satire of suburban hell at first, but beyond the laughs lurks a fascinating exploration of people trying to convince themselves they're not as miserable as they really are. It's also somehow a tragedy, as we're told right off that fatality will strike. Mendes makes great use of the possibilities of cinema. His film is always interesting and inventive visually, in an almost impressionistic way. Among other things, he makes very interesting use of American beauties, a variety of red roses that the wife cultivates and which Lester links to his fantasies. I also love the score by Thomas Newman, who should have one an Oscar, and the cast is as good as it gets. Annette Bening is convincing as always as an apparently successful career woman whose facade is shattering, and like Peter Gallagher's, her character is a bit caricatural but still effective. Thora Birch is perfect as her confused daughter, and so is Mena Suvari as her babe girlfriend. Suvari (who was one of the best things in American Pie) is highly desirable at first, then she starts talking and gets obnoxious, but eventually you get to really know her character and she's just another sad kid. This is a surprising performance and so is the one delivered by Wes Bentley, who's got solid screen presence and charisma as Ricky. He's able to really grab your attention and toy with your expectations, maybe disturb you a little but ultimately impress you with his focused mind.

Last but not least is Kevin Spacey, who really deserved his Oscar for his astonishing portrayal of a man who spins his life around. It's just so exhilarating to watch him gain confidence and retrieve hope in life. Spacey has done great work in the past, but this might be the role that he'll be remembered for. He goes through many different states of mind and behaviors in the film, yet Spacey makes it feel all natural. This is one of those performances that sticks with you and inspire you. I'm not sure I'd have the courage to follow Lester's footsteps, but I wish I had. And then there's Spacey's "got nothing to lose" attitude and return to an adolescent mind state which is hilarious! It's always fun to watch someone being a smartass and making uptight types speechless for once. I'm personally grateful to any picture that gives me a new respect towards life. American Beauty is one of my all-time favorite pictures. Check it out for yourself and see how you feel. It may just help you appreciate certain aspects of your life much better.


Beauty   February 12, 2003
17 out of 22 found this review helpful

What a breathtaking film. American Beauty is truly a masterpiece - a film that not only warrants repeated viewings (a quality sadly lacking from many films these days), but which brings new emotions each time.

Spectacular turns from Kevin Spacey as the middle-aged father attempting to reinvent the fun of his youth, Annette Bening as his frustrated, superficial and deeply unhappy wife and a host of other perfectly-cast actors and actresses make this compelling viewing. There are scenes which will make you laugh out loud, powerful scenes during which you will be able to hear a pin drop and a great insight on the lives of modern suburban dwellers - but throughout, the theme of beauty in all its forms is maintained.

The DVD contains an extra which I felt well warranted its purchase - a commentary from director Sam Mendes (and its producer, who hardly gets a word in). Although the idea of watching the film with somebody talking over it the whole time may seem a tad ridiculous, many new perspectives were brought to light by Mendes' comments; it genuinely allowed me to appreciate the film even more. This has been the case with each of the few film I have watched on DVD with director's commentary - it is an extra well worth considering if debating whether or not to buuy a film. If you really do love to watch a film, I find that the director's commentary will open your eyes to things you may have missed, new takes on a scene or even cameo roles from crew members!

But I digress - in conclusion, this is one of the best films I have ever seen. A genuine tour de force, it deserved all the praise and accolades heaped on it by the critics. Buy it.


"...And in a way, I am dead already."   February 10, 2004
Michael Crane
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

"American Beauty" is a pure cinematic triumph that is both funny and sad. It's disturbing... and yet, it's extremely provocative and deep. The film is an extraordinary achievement that reveals a tragic and realistic story about a family that is anything but ordinary. It's a film with so many layers that it is almost impossible to dissect them all in one single thought.

Meet Lester Burnham; a man who feels like he's completely dead inside. His wife and daughter despise him and do not show him any signs of respect. On the surface, the family seems like a picture-perfect family that everybody dreams about--but inside is a completely different matter. His wife is obsessed with material possessions and doesn't care for "petty" things like love or life, while his daughter resents herself because she isn't "perfect." Lester's mental coma is rudely interrupted when he meets his daughter's friend and starts fantasizing about her. The awakening might be due to a disturbing thought or feeling, but the wake-up call changes Lester and allows him to realize that there's always time to erase his "forced-image" and be the person he really is. This is all a set-up for a funny, disturbing and tragic movie.

I don't know about everybody else, but my mind was literally racing around when this movie was playing before my eyes. It's one of those films that allows you to pick up on something different upon each viewing. As I said in the beginning of the review, this film has a number of layers to it. There's so many different meanings and points to the film that it is nearly impossible to describe them all in one little review. Besides, the fun part of the movie is discovering these meanings and points for yourself. You know a film is successful when you totally lose yourself to it and allow it to challenge you in every way. The film is crafted flawlessly and doesn't have a wasted minute in it.

The acting from Kevin Spacey is really a sight to see. He gives his character all of the right needs and feelings that is necessary for the authenticity of his role. You don't even look at him as an actor--but as the real person he portrays. It is certainly a milestone in his acting career that will continue to be remembered throughout all cinematic history. Annette Bening is also superb in her role and brings life to her character, as well. Everybody in the film should be applauded, as they all make the film what it is.

"American Beauty" is a breath-taking masterpiece with a very high replay value. It's a terrific film on every front and does not disappoint for a single second. While it's not a movie that everybody will like, it's most certainly one to check out if you are a lover of films. If you're looking for something that isn't so ordinary, then this may be the chance that you are seeking. I feel that it is a unique and superb film that is very hard to express in words--you'll just have to experience it for yourself. -Michael Crane


Look closer...   February 23, 2006
13 out of 16 found this review helpful

With its dark themes including homophobia and paedophilia, it was an incredible surprise that the picture managed to become such a hit. Perhaps it was the lightness of touch displayed by its director, Sam Mendes. Even in its blackest moments, the picture never strays too far from humour. He infuses the pic with colour and joy, even in its most tragic moments the picture has life. The performances are uniformly wonderful. Spacey invests Burnham with a joyous immaturity. It reminded me of Tom Hanks age reversion in Big as Spacey rejects the adult world to become the teen he always wanted. Spacey has never been funnier; nor more human. Bening's role may be even more dangerous. She plays it with a nervous electricity. We can't take our eyes off her. We're afraid we'll miss her inevitable breakdown. It really is a great film. Thoroughly deserving of each award bestowed on it. It's one of those rare ones where you come away from it feeling better about the world we live in.